Excavator



I. P. LAMBING.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

EXGAVATOR.

(No Model.)

No. 403,762. Patented May 21 1889.

(No Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

I. P. LAMBING. EXGAVATOR. No. 403,762. Patented May 21 1889.

a $7 Y a x w u a a u w i 4 m .y P w 7 r 2 m m N: w 1 W E 2 w w w IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC P. LAMBIN Jr, OF IONE, CALIFORNIA.

EXCAVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,762, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed August 80, 1888. gerial No. 284,151. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac P. LAMBING, of lone, Amador county, State ofCalifornia, have invented an Improvement in Excavators; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to an improved excavating-bucket and mechanism foropening and closing the same; and it consists in an iniproved form andconstruction of the bucketsections, means for journaling, bracing, andoperating same, and in certain details of con struction, all of whichwill be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my excavator, showing onebucketsection in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the excavator.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the bucketsections. Fig.4 is anend view of the valve. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are horizontal sections ofthe valve and chamber, showing their different relative positions.

In a patent issued to S. N. Knight and myself July 10, 1888, No.385,759, we have shown a dredging-bucket composed of sections,which,when closed together, form a hollow hemisphere, these sections beingopened and closed by means of a piston within a steam-cylinder andcertain connecting rods and links. Certain objections have arisen in theactual operation of this apparatus, which it is the object of my presentinvention to overcome.

A is a cylinder of any suitable dimensions, suspended so as to hangvertically from tackle which is connected with a hoisting-derrick, sothat the cylinder and its attachments can be raised and lowered by thederrick and swung to any other point where the load is to be depositedwhen operating. The opening and closing of the bucket is effected bypressure of steam, air, or other medium acting upon a piston which movesvertically within the cylinder. The piston-rod B extends down wardlythrough a stuffingrbox in the lower head of the cylinder, and isstrongly connected with a cross-head, C, which is fixed to its lowerend. This cross-head has extensionsD projecting outwardly beyond theperiphery of the cylinder-head, and through these extensions passguide-rods E, which extend upward parallel with the cylinder and slideup and down within the guides F,which thus serve to steady the movementsof the cross-head.

The excavating-bucketis formed of sections G, which, when closedtogether, form a cup or continuous vessel, shaped something like aflattened hemisphere. The object of these variations from thehemispherical form will be more fully described hereinafter. Each ofthese sections (which together form a complete bucket) has a strongheavy central rib, H, extending from the point or shoe along the insideand up to the upper end of the section, from which an arm orcontinuation extends upwardly to a point above the cross head 0. A shoeor point, I, made of heavy steel, is fitted to the point of each of thesegments, abutting against the ends of the strengthening-ribs H, andserving to dig or excavate the material to be operated upon. These shoesmay be removed to sharpen and replaced when worn out with littletrouble.

Shafts K extend horizontally across the top of each segment, and a solidfilling of iron is fitted between these shafts and the upper edges ofthe sections, through which they are strongly bolted. These shafts arepreferably curved inwardly, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 2, so as toact as trusses to brace and strengthen the segments. To the lower end orhead of the cylinder A are cast or secured the arms L, which extendoutwardly and downwardly at an angle from the cylinder, as shown, and ontheir outer ends are formed journals, into which the ends of the shaftsK enter, these shafts being turned so as to fit the journalboxes androtate in them when the bucket-sections are opened or closed. Thesejournalboxes may be adjusted upon the arm L, to stand nearer to orfarther from the center, and the amount of opening of thebucket-sections is thus controlled.

The central strengthening-ribs, H, are extended above the upper edges ofthe sections, as previously described, being bent inwardly, as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, and by means of the connecting-rods M their upper endsare united with the cross-head C, so that as the latter is depressed bythe downward movement of the piston and piston-rod these extensions orarms II are drawn downwardly and inwardly, throwing the bucket-sectionsoutward and opening them about the journals upon which they turn. lVhenpressure is applied beneath the piston in the cylinder to force thepiston up, it carries with it the cross-head O, and, acting through theconnecting-rods M, it forces the arms H first upwardly and finallyoutwardly, thus closing the bucket-sections and forcing the pointstogether. The action of the inwardly-bent arms H and the connecting-rodsM is similar to that of a toggle-joint, because as the cross-head risesthe connecting-rods M come more nearly into a position perpendicular tothe arms H, which incline inwardly from the top of the bucket-sections,and thus exercise a powerful direct pressure, which is exerted upon thebucket-sections to force the points together. Owing to the changingposition of the connecting-rods M, the power to force the sharp-pointedsections through hard material increases as the sections penetratedeeper and at the same time when the greatest power is required. Thisconstruction differs from that of the former patent, in which thebucket-sections are drawn toward each other, and the power exerted islesswhen the sections are nearly closed, whereas in my present inventionit is greater and insures the perfect closing of these sections in hardmaterial.

1n order to overcome the tendency of the bucket-sections to twist out ofshape when power is applied to them and when working in hard or rockyground, I employ brace-rods N, the lower ends of which pass through thebucket-sections near the outer edges at the abrupt bend in the segments,and the upper ends are bolted to the arms H, as shown.

Experience has shown that a segment of a perfect globe or hemispheredoes not do satisfactory work, because the excavated material piles upin an irregular manner when the sections are closed together. For thisreason the sections of my bucket are formed as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,the upper portion extending downwardlyfrom the upper edge in a nearlyvertical direction when the sections are closed together, curvinggradually toward the center and extending from this point toward theshoe in a more flattened curve, as is plainly shown in the drawings,Figs. 1 and 3. This construction allows the excavated material to slidewell up from the point toward the sides, thus filling the bucket moreevenly than when hemispherical sections are used. The connecting-rods M,which unite the cross-head C with the inwardly-inclined arm II from thebucket, are V-shaped in form, the united end or point of the Vconnecting with the arm, while the open or separate ends are j ournaledupon shafts upon the cross-head O,thus making strong and rigidconnection between the two, The arms L, extending out from the bottom ofthe cylinder, and which carry the jour-L nal-shafts of thebucket-sections, are strongly braced from the upper flange of thecylinder by brace-rods-R.

Steam or compressed air is brought from the operating-cylinder through aflexible, jointed, or telescopic pipe, which will allow the apparatus tomove freely as desired, and in order to utilize the expansive force tothe fullest extent within the cylinder I employ a four-way rotary valve,P, which turns within'a valve-chamber upon the top or upper head of thecylinder. This valve-chamher is constructed with four ports, which aremarked 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, No. 1 (at the right) receivingsteam or air, No. 2 connected with the bottom of the cylinder, No. 3with the top of the cylinder, and No. 4: with the exhaust. Steam orcompressed air is first admitted through the ports 1 and 2 by turningthe valve so that these ports correspond with the passage 5 in thevalve, and it passes thence into the bottom of the cylinder and forcesthe piston to the top, (the upper end of the cylinder being connectedwith the exhaust,) thus acting through the piston-rod to close thebucket-sections, in which condition they remain until the apparatus hasbeen hoisted by means of the derrick and turned to the place where it isdesired to discharge the load. The valve is then turned by the lever Quntil the ports 2 and 3 are connected by means of the passage 6 in thevalve, and this allows steam or air to pass from the hottom to the topof the cylinder, and, relieving the piston from pressure below, thebucketsections will then partly open by the weight of their load.Another turn of the valve connects the port 2 from the bottom of thecylinderand the exhaust-port 4 by means of or air to exhaust from theupper end of the cylinder. The valve being again returned to its firstposition after the apparatus has been placed ready to take another load,the bucketsections will again be closed, as above de-v scribed. By thisconstruction the air or steam which is admitted below the piston toclose the bucket-sections is transferred to the upper end of thecylinder, where it acts expansively to force the piston down and openthe sections to discharge the load, thus doing double service andeconomizing the air or steam. I have also greatly strengthened'thebucket-sections, improved their form and capacity for entering andexcavating dry or hard material, and improved the mechanism by whichthey are closed, making it more direct and operative.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an excavator, the concave spheroidal segments having their upperedges j ournaled on supporting-shafts about a horizontal circle andtheir points presented downwardly,

r and t by the passage 8, thus allowing steam k so as to be opened andclosed with a common center, said sections having the portion nearestthe shafts approximately vertical, and continuing from the shoulder inthe form of a flattened curve toward the point, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In an excavator, the flattened segments having their bases upward andsuspended upon journal-shafts about the periphery of a horizontalcircle, the points presented downwardly so as to close at a commoncenter, in combination with the removable shoes dovetailed or attachedto the points, substantially as herein described.

3. In an excavator, the sections journaled upon horizontal shafts arounda circle, with the points presented downwardly so as to close toward acommon center and form a flattened hemisphere, with central ribsextending from the points up to the upper edges of the sections, andhaving the arms or continuations H extending inwardly, in combinationwith the vertically-moving cross-head and the connecting-rods unitingsaid cross-head with the inwardly-inclincd arms, substantially as andfor the purpose herein described.

4. The segments forming the excavator, having journal-shafts extendingacross the upper edges and turning in journal-boxes in arms which extcnd downwardly and outwardly from the lower cylinder-head, curvedstrengthening-ribs extending from the point to the top of each section,and having inwardly-projecting extensions H, in combination with thecylinder A, piston and piston-rod, the crosshead secured to the lowerend of the pistonrod, and the connecting-rods M, uniting the crossheadswith the arms, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. The bucket-sections having their points presented downwardly andtheir bases supported upon horizontally journaled shafts turning inboxes in arms which extend downwardly and outwardly from the lowercylinder-head, said journal-shafts having the centers bent inwardly andsecured to the top of the sections, so .as to act as truss-braces tostrengthen the upper edges of the buckets, substantially as hereindescribed.

6. The vertically-suspended cylinder with the piston,piston-rod,cross-head, and guides, the radial arms projecting downwardlyand outwardly from the lower end of the cylinder, and the journal-boxesfixed to the arms, as shown, in combination with the flattenedhemispherical sections having shafts the journals of which turn in theseboxes, and the extension-ribs H, together with the connecting-rods M,whereby the arms H are actuated with a resultantmotion derived from thevertical movement of the cross-head, substantially as herein described.

7. The connecting-rods M, made V-shaped and having the apex connectedwith the arms H and the open ends fulcrumed or journaled to thecross-head, substantially as herein described.

8. The circularly-arranged segments journaled at the top so that theirpoints meet at a common apex at the bottom,the arms or extensions H,connecting-rods M, and the crosshead, in combination with the cylinderA, piston, and piston-rod by which the cross-head is actuated, and avalve whereby air or steam is admitted to act successivelybelow andabove the piston and close and open the bucket-sections, substantiallyas herein described.

9. A dredger or excavator consisting of the segments journaled to openand close about a common apex at the bottom, lever-arms H, andconnecting-rods M, in combination with a vertically-suspended cylinder,apiston, and piston-rod having at its lower end a crosshead, to which theconnecting-rods M are journaled, and a valve mechanism whereby steam orair is first admitted below the piston to close the bucket-sections, andis then transferred above the pistons to open the bucket sections,substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC P. LAMBING.

lVitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, H. 0. LEE.

